The Journal of the American Chemical Society published the results of experiments with innovative thermogenerators based on bismuth telluride semiconductors. It is capable of producing 40 W of energy, and this, according to the developers, is far from the limit.

Scientists developed this prototype in search of a solution to the problem of utilization of hot exhaust gases of internal combustion engines, which are traditionally wasted. According to the authors of the project, the main difficulty in utilizing exhaust gases lies in the design of engines, which are not intended for the installation of bulky devices. This can reduce their efficiency and increase the cost of the system.

However, thermogeneration technology has an advantage: there are no moving parts. The device consists of hot and cold plates between which electrons move due to temperature differences.

There are disadvantages to the system. One of them is the need to keep one of the plates cold, as it quickly heats up from contact with hot exhaust gases. To solve this problem, engineers have developed an exhaust pipe nozzle in the form of a cylinder with ribs, which acts as a radiator, cooled by air flows. The faster the air moves, the more efficient the cooling process is.

Simulations have shown that such a system can generate up to 56 W of power for cars and 146 W for helicopters when traveling at an average cruising speed. However, questions remain about the application of this technology in stationary systems and in urban environments where vehicles are often stuck in traffic jams or moving slowly